Registering mechanism for folding-machines, &amp;c.



APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, V1906.

Patented J an. 10', ,1911.

(w EN 0. A. STURTEVANT.- BEGISTERING MBGHANISVM FOR FOLDING MACHINES,dw.

APPLIOATION FILED mma, 190e.

Patented Jan. I, 191.1.

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\ o. A. ,STURTEVANT.V REGISTERING MEGHANISM FOR FOLDING MACHINES, dw.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1906.

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'UNITED srafrns gPATENT ornion-- CHARLES A. STURTEVANT, OF PLAINFIELD,NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR '10 E. C. FULLER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ACORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

REGISTERING MECHANISM FOR FOLDING-MACHINES, &c.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 10, 1911.

Original application filed July 19, 1905, Serial No. 270,330. Dividedand this application filed .Tune 8,

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that T, CHARLES A. STURTE- vAN'r, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of NewJersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in RegisteringMechanism for Folding-Machines, &c., of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a registering mechanism which is moreparticularly designed for use in sheet folding and perforating machinesin which a line of perforations is produced in the sheet along thefolding line so as to permit the air confined between the doubled sheetto escape more freely and enable the sheet to be folded in correctregister.

The obje-ct of this invention is to produce a sheet registering`mechanism for this purpose which is comparatively simple and durable inconstruction and reliable in operation and which retains the sheet incorrect register at all times.

This application is a subdivision of an application for improvements infolding machines filed by myself July 19, 1905, Serial Number' 270,330.

In the accompanying drawings consisting of 3 sheets: Figure 1 is avertical longitudinal section of a parallel folding machine equippedwith my improved registering mechanism. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top planview of a folding machine, on a reduced scale, showing my improvedregistering mechanism applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a cross section in line3 4, Fig. 1 looking rearward. Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on the sameline looking forward. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view, partly insection and on an enlarged scale, of the folding machine provided withmy improvements. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross section in line SW6, Fig.5. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are vertical sections taken in lines 7-47, 8 8, and9-9, Fig. 6 respectively. Fig. 10 is a vertical section, on an enlargedscale, taken in line 10-10, Fig. 5. Figs. 11, 12, 13 and 14 areperspective views of the gripper bar, the lower gripper jaw, the upperjaw and the gripper guard, respectively.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

In the drawings only one side of the maseriai No. 320,741.

chine is shown but it will be understood that both sides of the machineare substantially the same. The main frame of the machine may be of anysuitable construction that shown in the drawings consisting essentiallyof upright side pieces A and cross pieces c connecting the side pieces.

Although my improved registering mechanism is applicable to variouskinds of machines the same as represented in the drawings is applied toa machine whereby a plurality of parallel rows of perforations and foldsare successively produced in sheets. The essential parts of the foldingmachine shown in the drawings consist of a pair of first rollers B, B1which produce the first fold in the sheet, a pair of second rollers C,C1 arranged in front of the first pair and adapted to produce a secondfold in the sheet, and a third pair of rollers D, D1 arranged in frontof the second pair and adapted to produce a third fold in the sheet. Thesheets are carried to the first rollers by tapes b. As the sheets issuefrom the first pair of rollers the same are carried to the second pairof rollers by means of tapes o which pass with their receiving portionsaround the rear member B1 of the first pair and around a delivery rollerE. The sheets upon issuing from the second pair of rollers are carriedto the third pair by means of tapes d which pass with their receivingportions around the rear member C1 of the second pair and with theirdelivery portions around the third rear member D1 of the third pair.These three pairs of folding rollers are arranged transversely in themachine and the sheets are fed downwardly between the same byoscillating folding blades, F, F1, F 2 which are arranged parallel withthese rollers and coperate therewith. in a well known manner.

The perforating device shown in the drawings is adapted to perforate'thesheets preparatory to producing the second fold in the same so as topermit a free escape of the air from between the folds of the sheetswhile producing these subsequent folds in the same. This perforatingdevice comprises a perforating die Gr which is arranged horizontally andtransversely in the machine in the space between the delivery rollers Eof the tapes c and the rear member C1 of the second pair of foldingrollers and supported in its proper position relative to the Y, fedbetween the same, a cross head L which carries said blade and which israised and lowered by vertical sliding bars or rods M guided in thebrackets H and supporting the cross head at their upper ends, rocklevers N having their front ar-ms connected by links m with the lowerend of the slide Vis rods, rotary cams 0 arranged on the main drivingshaft ol and engaging with the rear arms of the rock levers N andsprings o connecting the rock levers with the main frame. The cams 0operate to lower kthe headv and the perforating blade mounted thereonand the springs 02 operate to lift these parts.

While the sheets are being fed ove-r the die the perforating blade iselevated above the path of the sheets. After each sheet comes to restthe cross head is lowered sufficiently to cause the blade to perforatethe sheet. After the perforations have been thus formed in the sheet theperforating blade is raised permitting the sheet which has just beenoperated upon to be carried away and replaced by another.

As each sheet is fed between the die and the perforating blade and overthe members of the second pair of rollers the same first arrested inposition to receive the row of perforations along the line where thenext fold will take place and then the sheet while still in a correctlyregistered position will be grasped and moved forward until the line ofperforations is brought into the path of the blade the sheet. Thepreferred construction of the means for thus registering the sheet andcontinuing the forward movement thereof while registered is constructedas follows: U represents a grip per bar arranged transversely in thepath of the sheet in front of the second pair of folding rollers. Thisbar is movable bodily back and forth in a direction lengthwise bf themovement of the sheet. During this movement of the gripper bar the sameis guided on the stationary upper and lower guide rods u, u1 which arearranged lengthwise above and below the path of the sheets in front ofthe second rollers and serve to confine the g sheets againstdisplacement on the tapes d.

The vertical front side of the gripper bar serves as a gage or faceagainst which the front edge of the sheet is registered preparatory toperforating the same and eecting the of the folding device whichproduces the next fold in second fold therein. Upon this gripper bar aremounted gripping devices whereby the front end of the sheet is graspedand caused to move forwardly with the bar. This gripping devicepreferably consists of a plurality of grippers each of which comprises alower gripper jaw o and an upper gripper jaw o1 movable verticallytoward and from the lower jaw. Each lower jaw projects forwardly fromthe bar and its rear end is seated in a notch u2 formed in the underside of the gripper bar and 4provided with two upwardly projecting lugsYv2 which are secured to the rear side of the gripper bar. The uppergripper jaw consists of a block of rubber or other elastic materialwhich is secured to the front end of a vertical swinging gripper arm o3.This arm projects forwardly through a notch a3 in the upper edge of thegripper bar and is secured at its rear end to a transverse rock shaft Vwhich is journaled in the lugs of the lower jaw and also in bearings o4on the end portions of the gripper bar. This shaft connects all of thearms of the upper gripper jaws and is provided at opposite ends withdepending rock arms fw. To the lower end of each of these rock arms isconnected the rear end of a shifting rod lV which latter is guided atits front end in a bracket w1 secured to the main frame. These shiftingrods are actuated by means of a rock shaft fw2 provided with upper armsw each of which is connected by a link w* with the respective shiftingrod XV and a cam rod VW operi.- tively engaging at one end with a camL05 onthe main driving shaft and connecting at its opposite end with alower rock arm w on the rock shaft to2. Means` are provided for holdingor retarding the gripper bar and the part-s mounted thereon frictionallyagainst longitudinal movement relatively to the path of the sheets. Thepreferred means for this purpose consists of stationary friction rods :varranged lengthwise of the path of the sheets at opposite ends of thegripper bar, a pair of clamping plates l, m2 bearing against the upperand lower sides of each friction rod, a screw x3 loosely connecting saidclamping plates on one side of the friction rod, a screw secured to oneof said plates and passing loosely through an opening in the other plateon the opposite side of4 said rod, a spring surrounding said lastmentioned screw between the head thereon and said last mentioned plate,and links or arms ai connecting the ends of the gripper bar with theupper clamping plates, as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

When the gripper bar is in its rearmost position the grippers thereonare open and prepared to receive a sheet, as represented in Figs. l andWhile the parts of the registering device are in this position a sheetis fed forward by the tapes c between the die and blade of theperforatingdevice the rollers and blade of the second folding device andagainst the gage face of the gripper-bar between the several pairs ofgripper jaws thereon. Immediately after the sheet engages the front gagethe perforating device comes into operation and produces a line ofperforations in the same. At the same time the cam L05 begins to movethe shifting rods forwardly whereby the rock arms w, gripper shaft V andgripper arms v3 arek moved in the direction for closing the uppergripperI jaws against the lower gripper jaws and gripping the sheetbetween the same. The gripper bar and the parts mounted thereon are heldagainst bodily movement while the grippers are being thus closed by thefriction between the clamping plates .fr-1, x2 and the friction rods butwhen the grippers have been closed the continued forward pull upon `theshifting rods overcomes the frictional coupling between the clampingplates and t-he friction rods and permits these parts together with thegripper bar and jaws to move forwardly to the end of the stroke in thatdirection', whereby the sheet is carried forward for' shifting its rowof perforations from the perforating device to the next followingfolding device.

The instant the sheet reaches its foremost position under the action ofthe front registering grippers t-he movement of the shifting rods isreversed.` .During the first part of this reversed or backward movementof the shifting` rods the gripper bar and grippers are held againstbodily movement in that direction by the friction between the clampingplates x1, m2 and friction rods whereby this movement of the shiftingrods is caused to turn the rock arms w and gripper shaft backwardly andlift the upper gripper jaws from the sheet, thereby releasing thelatter.

After the sheet is released at its front edge from the front registeringgrippers the second folding blade F1 descends upon the same along itsline of perforations and feeds the same between the second foldingrollers C., C1 whereby the sheet is folded on the line of perforationsand carried to the-third folding device for producing the front fold inthe same. While effecting the srcond fold in the sheet its front edge ismoved backwardly away from the front registering grippers. At the sametime the rock arms w during their continued backward movement engagewith the front side of the gripper bar, as shown in Fig. 8, causing theclamping plates m1, m2 to slip on t-he friction rods m and compellingthe gripper bar and jaws to move backward with the shifting rods to theend of their stroke in this direction. When the gripper bar and jawsreach this rearmost position, as indicated in Figs. l and i5, thesesleeve.

parts arer'eady for registering and gripping the'neXt sheet, for whichpurpose theyremain at rest a suflicient time to permit of feeding thissheetto the same.

For Ythe purpose of directing the front end of the :sheet underneath thegripping jaws and preventing the same from interfering with said jaws acurved guard or guide y is provided for each gripper. Each of theseguards .is secured to thefrontsidie of the gripper bar and provided atits `innerer front. end with a recessy1 through'which the upper gripperjaw moves vertically while its outer or rear end `1/2 iscurvediu'pwardly .forVA directing v4the sheet underneath the same. `g fi Y ya represents cleats which are secured to the upper edge y.of thegripper bar and connect the parts thereofon opposite sides .sof itsnotches 'a3 thereby reinforcingthe gripper vbar and compensating for theloss of 'strength caused by the formation of these notches in the bar. cl

For the purpose of permitting the grip.- pers to be .adjusted to varioussizes of sheets the shifting rods are adjustably connected with thelinkjsw1L preferably bythe following means: e, Figs. 5 and 10 representsan adjusting sleeve mounted on each shifting lrod and'having anrexternal screw thread and a set screws1 whereby the same is s ecuredto`the rod` a2represents a coupling sleeve which has a smooth bore engagingwith the adjusting sleeve and a depending lug z3 to which the front endof the adjacentv link i104 is pivotally, connected. Atopposite ends ofthe coupling sleeve, jamor screw, nuts a* are mounted on the adjustingIn adjusting the grippers from one sized sheet to another the set screwsa1 of the adjusting sleeves are loosened. The shifting rods are nowmoved lengthwise through the adjusting sleeve until the grippers areapproximately in the position which they should occupy then the said-screws al are tightened, thereby eifecting a coarse adjustment of thegrippers. An accurate adjustment of the grippers is now produced byloosening one of the jam-nuts a* and tightening the other adjacent tothe adjustingasleeve, whereby the shifting rods l are moved lengthwisethrough the' coupling sleeve until the grippers are in position forcorrectly registering the sleeve.

In order to prevent the gripper bar and connecting parts from becomingcramped if both ends of the gripper bar are not adjusted simultaneouslythe arms m of the gripper bar are connected with the upper clampingplates by a swivel connection consisting preferably of a vertical studor wrist 007 arranged on each upper clamping plate and a washer x8secured to the upper end of the wrist by a screw m9. The rear end ofeach arm m6 is pivoted horizontally onsaid wrist and is confined againstvertical movement thereon between the shoulder x10 at the base of thewrist and the washer on the upper end thereof. If the gripper bar whileadjusting the same is not maintained eXactly at right angles to the pathof the sheet the arms 006 will turn horizontally on the clamping platesand thus pref vent binding of these parts.

I claim as my invention:

l. A registering mechanism lcomprising a gage bar, arranged in front ofthe path of the sheets, a lower gripper jaw fixed on said bar, an uppergripper jaw movable toward and from the lower jaw, a rock shaftjournaled on said bar and carrying said upper jaw, a rock arm secured tosaid shaft, a shifting rod connected with said rock arm, an adjustingsleeve connected with said rod, a coupling sleeve mounted on theadjusting sleeve, screw nuts arranged on the adjusting sleeve atopposite ends of the c oupling sleeve, a rock lever, and a linkconnecting said rock lever with said coupling sleeve, substantially asset forth.

- 2. A registering mechanism comprising a gage bar arranged transverselyin front of the path of the sheets, a plurality of grippers mounted onthe gage bar,each comprising a lower fixed jaw and an upper movable aw,a rock shaft journaled onv the gage bar and connected with said uppergripper jaws, rock Yarms depending from opposite ends of said rockshaft, shifting' rods connected with said rock arms, rock leversconnected with said shifting rods, friction rods arranged lengthwise ofthe path of the sheets, a pair of clamping plates embracing eachfriction rod, and an arm or link connecting one member of each pair ofclamping plates with said gage bar, substantially as set forth.

3. A registering mechanism comprising a gage bar arranged transverselyin front of the path of the sheets, grippers mounted on said bar, meansfor reciprocating said bar and jaws lengthwise of the path of tliesheets, and a holdin or retarding device for said bar comprisinglongitudinal friction rods, a pair of clamping plates engagingfrictionally with each rod, and a swivel connectionv between one plateof each pair and said bar, substantially as set forth.

4. A registering mechanism comprising a gage bar arranged transverselyin front of the path of the sheets, grippers mounted on said bar, meansfor reciprocating said bar and grippers lengthwise of the path of thesheets and a holding or retarding device for said bar comprisinglongitudinal friction rods, a pair of clamping plates engagingfrictionally with eachrod, and a swivel connection between one plate ofeach pair and said bar consisting` essentially of a stud arranged onsaid p ate, a washer secured to said stud and an arm or link secured tosaid' bar and pivoted on said stud, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 31st day of May,

CHARLES A. STURTEVANT. Witnesses:

E. E. BUSH, C. H. BIERLEIN.

